Thursday, March 25, 2010

In light of the new Socialist Health Care Law that was just enacted un-Constitutionally this Sunday and Tuesday, we need to seriously think about what it means to provide for our families in a God honoring way. I entreat you to read the following I received from a wonderful source, Vision Forum, and start thinking about this mandate from God: that we provide for our families, widows and orphans and others in need in the body of Christ. We as a church in America have sadly abdicated this mandate to the state for too long. We have not followed God's way, and have selfishly given ourselves over to the gods of money, laziness, selfishness, and greed. Please take a moment to read the below letter and evaluate as a family your finances and expenses on health care. See where you can cut waste and greed. Teach your children the value and godliness of hard work and good health, because under these new laws that our government is passing without our consent, it is going to be much harder for our children to provide even the most basic of needs for themselves and their families when they become adults. Their future starts now with your godly example and teaching them to be responsible, god fearing, praying, Bible reading, hard working, money-saving boys and girls. They need to see you sacrifice wants so they can learn to sacrifice wants. You need to sit down as a family and discuss what is going on in our world and country and decide as a family to get back to Biblical principles and live sacrificially. Do it as a family. Share the vision with your church family. The church needs to start thinking in the ways defined below and mentioned above. God, I do believe, is pouring out judgement and calling his people to repent. Do not ignore him. Our country can only remain a free country to the extent we live our lives according to the Bible and for God's glory. Don't consider these things just as a way to preserve your family and your lifestyle. Consider these things to bring glory and honor to the one whom you claim is Lord, first and foremost.

It is going to require a lot of sacrifice and self denial to do these things. My husband and I are checking out the information given below regarding healthcare sharing ministries, which according to what we have initially read are exempt from the mandates given in the new Health Care Law. We have checked out Samaritan's Ministries website and looked at their guidelines. To go this route would actually cost us more than we are paying for health insurance and medical coverage to pay for our shares in this plan and cover our own medical expenses when they arise, but in the long run, we would not be beholden to the government. It would take us cutting out waste in our spending to save for preventative care, dental and other costs not covered in one of these plans. But it would be living up to what God would want us to do. Taking care of our family needs and helping to provide for our Christian family as well. Saving for the above and not relying on our insurance to pay for these things, is what we should all be doing. We wouldn't be in the kind of crisis that we are now in our country and the costs of health care would not be as high if we all followed the ways of God, and some of the things these health care sharing ministries promote. To do this would mean some cuts in our spending on things we have grown attached to. For me, it would mean a total cut of my crafting expenses, but as I look at all the unused items I have accumulated, that won't really be a sacrifice in the long run. Rather it will be a cut that has been needed for a long time. For us as a family, it might mean we have to creatively think of ways to provide a little extra income other than our jobs. It might mean in our homeschooling, we get a little more creative and use the library more. It probably means more hours spent in the garden tending to it so we produce a bounty in the Summer to last us through the winter. It may mean less candy, toys, frivolous requests at the store for items we won't really use. It may mean making more things from scratch, cutting out unnecessary events we go to, being more creative about vacations. But think of the wonderful memories these things will create, the praise we can give our God as we watch him bless us with opportunities and growth and closeness as we become better stewards of our resources, time, and energy. Think of the spiritual blessings that will come from bringing our wants to the throne room of God and praying over them, saving for them, and watching God provide for what he knows is best for us. Think of the spiritual growth that would come from relying on God to meet our needs, as we help take care of others in our church family. Think of the closeness to God we will have when we spend more time in prayer, more time in His word leaning and practicing what he desires for our lives as his people. God is good and he can provide for our needs and he can bless us even with over abundance for wants too that will bring him glory. I am excited to start on this new journey, and I probably won't miss having or getting the things I might have to give up. I have this wild feeling that the rewards of this kind of new living will be so great, we won't ever want to live any way else.

So read below and join us in thinking about how in the light of this new socialist era of our government, we can glorify God and live out his command to take care of our families.

Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. (Nehemiah 4:14)

Summary: This week the United States took one more significant step towards greater government control over the family with the passage of President Obama’s neo-Marxist health care initiative. The implications for medicine, entrepreneurship, and the Christian family are far-reaching. In the wake of this devastating news, Christians must stop and reevaluate their approach to health care. It is the purpose of this email to present you with a practical, affordable and Christ-honoring solution to the present crisis in the form of Samaritan Ministries.

Self Government or Statism:The Battle for the Family

The defining cultural issue of this generation is the battle for the Christian family. At stake is the definition of marriage, the meaning of manhood and womanhood, the preservation of a godly seed, and the future of a multi-generational vision of victory in which our posterity will continue to enjoy the blessings of liberty.

Christians Must Not Become Welfare Junkies

This battle must take many forms. We must proclaim truth from the pulpit, disciple our children around the table, model Christ in our households, and even “stand with the enemies” in the very gates of the land without fear (Psalm 127). But there is another oft-overlooked, but crucial component in a wise strategy of defense for the Christian family — we must reject the welfare junkie mentality, stop looking to the state as our provider, and look to God to work through His people with private-sector solutions to real problems.

Two Theories of Salvation

The Bible indicates that it is the duty of the people of God who make up the Church, not the State, to meet the needs of the Church. Though we have a duty of love and charity toward all men (1 John 3:17, 18), our first obligation is to the household of faith (Galatians 6:10), and those directly within our jurisdiction of responsibility (1 Timothy 5:8). Those who fail to provide for their own are deemed “worse than infidels.”

A key difference between Christianity and humanism is our soteriology (our view of salvation). Christians believe that man’s basic problem is sin. Humanists believe man’s basic problem is his environment. Consequently, humanists advocate salvation through legislation. The idea is that the State can save man through education, wealth redistribution, or other environmental changes. This view of the messianic state — the state as savior — is at the heart of President Obama’s socialized medicine initiative.

The Christian Duty of Self Government

Christians, not the federal or state government, are to care for their own, including widows and the fatherless (James 1:27). One reason for this is that such care is given in the name of Jesus Christ and for His sake. A second reason is that long-term giving must come with accountability. A third reason is that God has ordained the state to wield the sword as a minister of justice (Romans 13), not to become a welfare agency.

Senate Health Care Bill ExemptsHealth Care Sharing Groups

The health care bill that was passed Sunday night by the U.S. House of Representatives, often referred to as the Senate bill, contains a provision that exempts members of health care sharing ministries from the bill’s requirement for individuals to purchase health insurance. This is the bill that president has now signed.

Every freedom-loving American, parent, and Christian should be concerned about the effect this bill will have on all the American people, our health care system, and the economy, if the provisions of this bill are actually implemented. While many of the provisions will take effect soon, the individual and employer mandates to purchase health insurance are not scheduled to take effect until 2014, after the next presidential election. We need to continue to pray for God’s intervention in this situation. But, we should act prudently now.

What is Samaritan Ministries?

More than any other successful piece of legislation in the history of America, President; Obama’s bill promises to reshape the nature of medicine, creating disincentives for medical freedom, penalizing physicians and medical providers for excellence, and opening greater avenues for control of the family. Christian parents need a practical and meaningful alternative now. That alternative is Samaritan Ministries.

The highly professional executive team at Samaritan Ministries is made up of deeply committed Christian professionals (some are personal friends of mine) who understand that it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. And the candle they have lit is burning bright.

Samaritan Ministries is not an insurance company. Samaritan seeks to meet the needs of the saints through Christians helping Christians. For more than a decade, Samaritan Ministries has been the “shared medical assistance program” of choice for thousands of families. Their track record of support and satisfied members is simply superior. This is a medical assistance provider that is run on Christian principles, by Christians, for Christians. More than just an outstanding alternative to the overwhelming costs of insurance programs, Samaritan Ministries is a means of strengthening individual families and the Body of Christ through a program of personal responsibility, prayer support, and shared financial needs. The benefits of being a member of Samaritan are strong, and the cost is extremely reasonable. In fact, Samaritan families pay a fraction of the typical costs to insure a family through an insurance provider.

Do Yourself a Favor — InvestigateThis God-Blessed Option

The mission of Vision Forum is to encourage the rebuilding of the Christian family. Samaritan Ministries makes my life, and the life of the families at Vision Forum, easier by standing beside us (and we beside them) in the advancement of this mission for the glory of God. They bless us by helping families with healthcare needs, by modeling a godly vision of Christians helping Christians, and by providing cost-effective, excellent alternatives to the exorbitant expense of modern healthcare.

Mention Vision Forum when you sign up and receiveThe Politics of Guilt & Pity, a life-changing book on Christianity and private sector solutions to economic and healthcare troubles.

With gratitude to the Lord for the executive team and the faithful families who have wisely and successfully managed Samaritan Ministries for more than a decade, I want to invite you to learn more about them at SamaritanMinistries.org or by calling (888) 2-OTHERS. Moreover, as a satisfied subscriber to Samaritan Ministries and a Christian brother who is deeply grateful to them for their principled efforts to work within the Body of Christ to provide crucial financial medical assistance, and to oppose the continued socialistic extremes of our nation’s civil magistrates, I am pleased to wholeheartedly recommend this Christ-proclaiming, family-defending ministry to my brothers and sisters in Christ. There is no doubt in my mind that God has raised Samaritan Ministries up for such a time as this.

Friday, March 19, 2010

I've been listening to some cool music lately. Okay, I know music tastes are totally subjective, but I like the following.

Jon Foreman (lead singer for Switchfoot) -- his Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer are great accoustic guitar songs. Great scripture in here set to music. Also great songs about daily struggles in the Christian walk.

tobyMac -- his newest release called Tonight is totally awesome. There are so many music influences here, from rock, hip hop, rap, reggae, 80's and some good just fun songs. It has my hips shakin, feet tappin' and just feeling good. We have all of tobyMac's albums and they just make me want to dance and my boys love them too.

Owl City -- we stumbled upon this at the Christian bookstore at Christmas time. My boys totally love it. It's kind of techno pop with totally random lyrics but it's fun and clean and a lot of play on words in rhyme going on here. Just good, fun, peppy, clean music. We first bought Ocean Eyes but now we have all three of his albums. It's just a lot of fun.

Relient K -- Forget and Not Slow Down is their latest and I love it. Okay, I love all their stuff. They are just a fun Christian rock band. Their lyrics are great on a lot of songs and pack a lot of truth in them at times. Other songs are just funny and make you smile. I like their creative play on words titles for their songs.

Switchfoot -- their newest is Hello, Hurricane, and there are a few good songs on here. They are getting a little noise-like for me here lately, but there are still a few good ones on this album. I like all the albums that they have put out before though. Talk about some hard hitting lyrics on many of them. Makes you think while you rock.

Newsboys -- In the Hands of God. Love the Newsboys. We have worship songs with a beat here and some good thoughtful lyrics as well as just some fun. Again, toe tappin' fun.

I love to dance and love any music with a good beat. Not too many people see that in me, but I am a dancin' party girl at heart. I just like to party sober and with good clean fun. Love all this great Christian music that I think is much better than the ungodly stuff going out on the main airwaves. A lot of these above-listed bands get their songs played on secular stations cause it's good music and good lyrics, even if they aren't always overtly Christian in topic. Those of us who know, can find it, otherwise regular folks get a good song with a deeper meaning if God opens their eyes to it. My boys totally love all this music, so I highly recommend it for kids too. Again clean lyrics, good music, and just a way to have fun and praise God too. Great combination.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

I don't know that anyone is checking in here or is even remotely interested, but on the off chance someone does stop by the blog-o today, I thought I would share some of the things I have been up to lately or that have been of interest to me.

I have been making lots of homemade easy no-knead breads lately from the books, Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day and Artisian Bread in 5 Minutes a Day. Great, great books with super easy bread recipes. I have made a lot of cinnamon rolls with whole wheat brioche dough that are super easy. Okay, my waistline isn't getting any thinner with those but they sure are good. I am trying to be good to get ready for swim season and just be healthier, but until the sun starts coming out and warming things up here so I can walk I have indulged a little. But anyway, the Healthy bread recipes are really good and super easy.

I have been online purchasing new books for our homeschooling. Can I just say I love reading with my guys. Love love love the books we read for our schoolwork and for fun. They love it too. Sometimes I wonder what they are getting out of it, but then I hear their play conversations and hear them incorporate their books in their play. It's fun. They are totally into Star Wars right now, but they still like the stuff we are studying too. American History is sooo interesting when you get beyond the textbook dry dates and bare facts. Try reading some living books about that period. So fun and rich.

I have been reading some books to be a better teacher to my boys. I am learning that purchasing a prescribed curriculum isn't necessary. I am reading a couple of books by Ruth Beecheck that are great and eye openers. Somedays I wonder if I will ever get this homeschooling thing figured out. Am I ruining my boys? Plus, my selfishness doesn't help the situation most days either. Focusing myself to the task is pretty hard. The boys pick up on that and that doesn't help them focus either. I need God's help in that area a lot. I have to remember that God has called me to this task, he will equip me, and that if he wanted my boys to have a different mother, then they wouldn't be mine. I am okay. Not perfect, and still growing in grace, but I am the mother God wanted them to have. He has their futures in His hands, and I am a tool in His hand. Am I willing to be that tool? Some days not so much. God, I need you so much to meet my calling. Make me the mom and teacher you want me to be.

I have been making some cards lately, but have been trying to make cards for me to use. Gasp!! What a novel idea. :) I have all this stuff and I have been making things to try to sell them, which by the way, hasn't been going as well as I hoped. Doesn't anyone send a card anymore? I have bargain, beautiful handmade cards (no I am not bragging, they are pretty) for less than a Hallmark card. I don't think you can buy a card in the store for less than $3 and my cards are handmade and only $3. I guess I have different taste in cards than other people. I have spent a lot of time around Valentine's day making gift packaging, gifts and cards but no takers. I guess I'll have to use them myself. Maybe that is the point God is trying to make. I guess he isn't interested in me selling stuff. In fact, maybe he's not allowing me to sell stuff so I quit buying more stamping supplies and just use what I already own to send my own letters and give gifts to folks he wants me to encourage. Hmmm... now there is a thought. See I can be a little dense and stubborn and selfish... okay a lot of those things. I am trying to do that, really I am. But those few extra stamping things I have in my shopping carts at Stampin' UP! and Papertrey, well, I could really use them, and .... Wait, what about all those other stamps and die cutting things that you really needed and could use that you bought last month and the month before, and the month before... have you used them? No... I don't have time, or I just haven't gotten around to that yet. Point taken, just hard to put into practice when you have built up a habit of getting. Can we say coveting a little? God is working here, but I can be a stubborn whining little child. I want it now!! Lord, help me to be content and to use what I have.

Well, that is all for now. Thanks for letting me ramble. Maybe you see yourself a little here and know you are not alone in the daily struggle. I am so glad God doesn't see me as I see myself. He knows all the yucky ugly stuff in my heart but because He's clothed me in Jesus' righteousness he sees Jesus' perfection and He loves me. In fact, God chose to love me before the foundation of the world before I had done anything. That blows my mind, and yet it is such a relief that I didn't have to do anything to get that. It's a choice God made purely for his own glory to chose me. He even gave me the ability to yield my life to him. The more he reveals my ugly heart to me, the more I am thankful for that fact, cause if it depended on me, there is no way he would be interested. If it wasn't for God bringing life to my dead sinful heart, I wouldn't be interested in him or care about the sin in my heart. Thank you, Jesus for that gift you bought and paid for me on the cross. I would be so hopeless without it. Thank you for the hope that I have before me that I will be with you in Heaven and finally be totally without sin. I eagerly anticipate that day. While I wait, I look forward to what God will work in and through me for his glory.

I just read a great chapter in the book Boyhood and Beyond by Bob Schultz. I am so enjoying reading these books by Bob Schultz to my boys. They love them too, and I am hearing them say they want to be the kind of men this books talks about-godly men. I see them thinking about what it says. I also get a lot out of these books too, as the principles are applicable to really anyone, but the concepts as applied to boys have been so missing in our culture today. We need boys to be real boys and grow up to be real men---strong, leaders, providers, and spiritual heads of their homes who thirst for God and meet with him regularly, and hard workers. Anyway, I digress.

Today's chapter was about the power of a handwritten letter of encouragement. Did you know that today personal mail is so very scarce? How many letters do you write and send to family and friends each week, month or year? Sorry, email, Facebook and text messages don't count. I am talking about a hand written letter on a sheet of paper put in an envelope that you put a stamp on and put in your mailbox. Do you remember what that is? I am sad to say I have not been as good about doing that either. Here I make all these cards, but how many do I actually use for personal correspondence? Hmm, not too many. I usually am too caught up in making them for someone else to give than giving them myself. That is slowly changing. I am trying to send more cards for birthdays and to just write a note letting someone know I am praying for them, or wanting to encourage them.

Do you know the joy of going to the mailbox and seeing an envelope addressed to you that is not a bill, junk mail or magazine? Oh, how I love that, but sadly I hardly ever get a letter in the mail. But when I do, oh it makes my day. You want to know why? It means someone thought of me and I matter to someone. Might sound selfish a little, but we all want to know we matter to someone, or that someone thinks of us or appreciates us. Maybe God wants to use you to let someone know they matter, something they did was appreciated, or that they are a good example and inspired you to be a better person. Maybe someone in your life lives a godly example and that has spurred you on to live a closer walk with God. Tell them. They need to hear that, if only so they can praise God for the light he is shining through them.

So I challenge each of you who might check in here to get out a sheet of paper today and write a note to someone and just let them know you appreciate them, are thinking of them, or that they have done something well that you noticed. Spread a little of God's joy and encouragement today. It's a lost art that deserves to be found again. And you never know, because of your example, you might just find more letters showing up in your mailbox to brighten your day too. I bet just putting your letter in the mailbox will brighten your day more too. It's fun and joyful to share a little kindness to someone.

Blessings to you all. You are important to me. Thanks for stopping by my blog today.

MELISSA SIBERT

I am a wife to my wonderful husband and a stay at home mom to my two precious boys. I am also a professionally trained pastry chef. I am an Independent Consultant for Jordan Essentials. I love to spend time with my family. A good book, some uplifting but peppy music, baking, or some time paper crafting helps me unwind after a busy day with my boys.

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